Feb. 20, 1819 | Born in Zurich at Hirschengraben 56/60, the son of Heinrich Escher and Lydia Zollikofer von Altenklingen |
1831 | Moves to the Belvoir Estate in the Enge district of Zurich. |
1834–1837 | Attends and then matriculates from the Cantonal High School |
1837–1842 | Studies law at the University of Zurich (spending two semesters abroad, in Bonn and Berlin) |
1840/41 | President of the «Zofingia» student society |
1842 | Awarded doctorate by the University of Zurich |
1842/43 | Six month stay in Paris. |
1844–1847 | Lecturer at the University of Zurich |
1844–1882 | Member of Zurich's Cantonal Parliament (President 1848, 1852, 1857, 1861, 1864, 1868) |
1845–1848 | Federal Council of Cantonal Representatives (not continuous) |
1847/48 | Chief Administrator of Canton Zurich |
1848 | Federal Commissioner in Canton Ticino |
1848–1855 | Cantonal government of Zurich (president 1849, 1851/52, 1853–1855) |
1848–1882 | National Council (president 1849/50, 1856/57, 1862/63) |
1849 | Büsinger dispute: swearing in of General Dufour |
1852 | Escher helps push through the Railways Act which transfers responsibility for line concessions to the cantons, and for the construction and operation of the railways to private companies |
1853–1871 | Managing director of the Nordostbahn Company (NOB) |
1854–1882 | Vice-Chairman of the Board of Education, responsible for the Federal Polytechnic (now the ETH Zurich) |
1856–1877 | Chairman of the board of directors of Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (now Credit Suisse) |
1856/57 | Neuchâtel dispute: leading role in resolving the conflict |
23.04.1857 | Marries Augusta Uebel |
1857–1874 | Member of the Board of Schweizerische Lebensversicherungs- und Rentenanstalt (now Swiss Life) |
Jul. 10, 1858 | Birth of daughter Lydia |
1859–1874 | Member of Zurich City Council |
1859/60 | Savoy dispute: leading role in resolving the conflict |
Jun. 4, 1861 | Birth of daughter Hedwig |
1861–1863 | Dappental question: leading role in resolving the conflict |
Jul. 28, 1862 | Death of daughter Hedwig |
1863–1871 | Member of the Committee of the Gotthard Association |
Jul. 22, 1864 | Death of Augusta Escher-Uebel |
1871–1878 | Managing director of the Gotthard Railway Company |
1872–1882 | Chairman of the board of directors of the Nordostbahn Railway Company |
1880–1882 | Chairman of the board of directors of Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (now Credit Suisse) |
Dec. 6, 1882 | Death |